


Little Light in the Shadows

by darlingdisastrous



Category: The Lost Boys (Movies)
Genre: AFAB reader - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Blood Drinking, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, DFAB reader, Dark, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fivesome, Gen, Gender-neutral Reader, Homophobia, Human/Vampire Relationship, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Multi, Murder, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Polyamory, Reader is Laddie's kid, Swearing, Terrible Parental Figures, Vampire Bites, no pronouns used
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-15 08:41:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29311260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingdisastrous/pseuds/darlingdisastrous
Summary: santa carla is an odd place. you and your dad move in with his fiancé, christopher, and his two daughters. things don’t go smoothly as you are introduced to the cruelty that santa carla has to offer
Relationships: David (Lost Boys)/Reader, David (Lost Boys)/You, Dwayne (Lost Boys)/Reader, Dwayne (Lost Boys)/You, Laddie Thompson/Original Male Character, Marko (Lost Boys)/Reader, Marko (Lost Boys)/You, Paul (Lost Boys)/Reader, Paul (Lost Boys)/You
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

" _Welcome to sunny California,_ " you mutter caustically.

They always portrayed the West Coast as this vibrant place in movies. An eternal summer, with sun-bleached beaches, colorful buildings, and even more colorful characters. But ever since your plane touched down in San Jose, 'Sunny California' had been nothing but dismal. The sky was grey, nearly black, as the storm raged overhead. Thick, icy sheets of rain poured down from the heavens, drowning the streets and causing everyone to take cover.

“We’re on the coast,” Christopher explains. “Storms happen frequently, but rarely last longer than half an hour. It’ll clear up by tonight, you’ll see." He flashes you his movie-star worthy smile, eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Dad, didn't you used to live here? Did it always rain this hard?"

Your father turns around in the passenger seat. "I wouldn't remember. You can ask your aunt, though. I'm sure she'll have something to say."

The bitter edge to his tone makes you wince. You fold your arms over the window ledge and peer out onto the streets. The car passes a once-vibrant welcome sign reading WELCOME TO SANTA CARLA. The paint is peeling in some areas and graffiti covers the rest, leaving just enough space to read the name. The streets are practically deserted, save for a few working-types and some ill-covered homeless. Each shop on the street is more brightly colored than the last. Cartoonish sharks and crabs decorate the front of every beachwear store, GOING OUT FOR BUSINESS signs plastered in their windows.

Christopher speaks up, "We can have dinner on the boardwalk, there’s this really great pizza place that the girls and I love. I think you'll like it, Y/N. Your dad's been with me a few times.”

" _Fratelli's_?"

"Yeah."

Dad clutches his heart. "God, I love that place."

They prattle on for the next ten minutes or so about everything and nothing, leaving you to your own devices. Soon, the commercial area gives way to residential houses. The roads become smoother and the grass greener, before you're out on the highway again, but not for long. Christopher turns at a sign that reads EDGEWATER in fancy script. He passes by a security booth and waves to the person inside. They raise the arm of the blocking machine and he passes through with no difficulty. You'd only ever been in a gated community once before; you were in first grade and slept over at a friend's house for the first time. Back then, you'd been more concerned with the size of their pool and the cool trampoline in the frontyard. Now, you were old enough to be impressed (and intimidated) by the houses.

Each of them was ginormous, each built in the same style save for a few differences in yard work and door colors. Christopher’s house was no exception. It sat smack dab in the middle of the block, with mums and pansies exploding out of their planters. It was ... a huge upgrade from the rinky-dink apartment you and Dad lived back in Ohio.

"Here we are,” said Christopher. "Home, sweet home. The girls are so excited to meet you Y/N. Really, they're excited that both of you are here. Actually here. I mean, my mind is still blown."

The rain had yet to stop, which made unloading the car literally hell. By the time everything was safely tucked away on the porch, all three of you were soaked to the bone. Christopher fiddled with the lock before pushing open the door. "Girls? Come down, they're here!"

You tuck a few bags under your arm, but Dad stops you before you can get inside. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” You juggle the bags, "Yeah, I'm good. What's wrong?"

“You’re quiet.” He presses his lips into a straight line. “ _Too_ quiet.”

You smile, “I promise I’m good. I'm ... _nervous_ , but excited.”

"This _is_ a big step, isn't it." Dad paused, his smile souring. “You’d don’t think I’m moving too fast, do you?”

"Nah,” you shake your head. “I'm happy for you."

He sighs. "Thanks, kid. Hey, I love you."

"I love you, too. But I'm freezing, and if you don't move, I might murder you."

"Right, right." Dad shoulders a backpack. "Sorry."

The two of you squeeze through the doorway, eager to escape the frigid cold. You closing the door behind you hard, the sound echoing through the house. You turn to find Christopher standing behind two girls who could easily pass for twins, had you not been aware of their age difference. They stare at you and your dad with an emotionless expression. You shift, clutching your suitcase a little tighter.

“Girls, you know who they are, you’ve heard me talk about them enough,” Christopher teases. “Y/N, Laddie, these are my daughters: Moon and Raine. Say hello girls.”

Raine narrows her eyes, her glare more frigid than the weather outside. It seems she’d rather chew her own arm off than say two words to either of you. Moon, however, is the warmth to Raine's cold. She takes a step forward, hand outstretched. You can't easily accept it, but you try nonetheless.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Y/N. Give me one of those, will you? You look like you're about to drop them.” She takes one of the suitcases, lightening your load. "We'll take you up to your room."

“Thanks, I’d appreciate it.”

“Raine?”

She rolls her eyes and practically rips your backpack off of your body.

“Oh, I can carry that—“ She gives you a look and you promptly shut up.

Moon makes a face at her sister before turning to you. “Don’t be silly,” she says, “You’re part of the family now. Follow me, it’s up here.”

Dad nudges you encouragingly, a quiet _go on._ Though you really wished you could stay, you have no choice but to go. You trudge after them, mindful of where you step lest you drop all over their hardwood floors.

“You’ll be sleeping in the attic." Moon looks at you over her shoulder, grimacing. “I promise that’s not as V. C. Andrews as it seems—Dad finished it a while ago but we didn’t have a real use for it.”

“Until now!” finishes Raine with faux-enthusiasm.

“That’s great. Thank you.”

Raine rolls her eyes. “We didn’t do anything.”

“Dad did the most work,” Moon rephrases gently. “He’s been excited about having another kid in the house, even if you are ... how old are you?”

“Eighteen—I turn nineteen in a couple of months.”

The stairs turn a corner and continue going up. If you didn't know better, you'd think you'd been banished to the bell tower. How were you supposed to get around at night? You'd trip and break your neck for a glass of water.

“Oh! So, will you be attending college here?" asks Moon. "We both go to the University of Santa Carla. It's great, the campus is so amazing and everyone's really friendly.”

“Not sure yet.”

Raine stops short, causing Moon to bump into her. “We’re here.”

The first thing you notice is that there’s no door. The stairs lead directly into the attic with nothing to close it off.

There’s a simple bed frame in the corner, surrounded by windows that afford you a view of the street. Correction: there is one door. You assume it leads into some kind of bathroom.

The space is bigger than anything you’ve ever lived in. You’re used to shitty, one-bedroom apartments. Dad always gave up the room for you, electing to sleep on the couch, but still. This attic alone could’ve housed your last apartment.

“Thank you.”

They lay your suitcases on the floor. Moon pats you on the shoulder and heads for the stairs. “Just give us a shout if you need anything.”

“Sure.”

You wait for them to go before you whip out your phone. You scroll through your contacts before finding the right one and press call. It doesn't even get through the first ring before the other line picks up.

“ _Hello?_ ”

“Star?”

“ _Y/N!_ ” your aunt coos, “ _You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice. Did you guys make it safely? No trouble?_ ”

“Nah, no trouble. But the weather’s ... _awful_.”

“ _Good_.”

Aunt Star had a weird thing about Santa Carla. She used to live here back in the eighties, which was how she met Dad. She always fudged over the exact details, saying it didn’t matter, but whatever happened it left them bonded for life. Star had been the most against the move.

“ _No guy is so important you have to go back to_ that place,” she’d said, not two weeks ago.

Star was constantly on the move, she didn’t like to stay in one place for too long, which made visits rare; but, she’d made a special one when she heard the news of Dad’s engagement. It was horrible. The fight was bad enough to sow a seed of discourse between them which had yet to be resolved. It wasn’t that Star wasn’t happy for him, she was, really; but something about Santa Carla set her off.

But Dad’s mind was made up: he was going. You were going. The only thing that might’ve changed his mind was if you had disagreed. But you couldn’t. You couldn’t do that for him, not when he’d given up so much of his life for you. It wasn’t fair. 

You pace back and forth, gnawing on your inner cheek. “Christopher wants to take us to the boardwalk if the rain clears up.”

“ _That old place?_ ” Star scoffs, “ _they need to tear it down. It was old when I lived there._ ”

“I looked at it online, it seems like it’s in pretty good condition.”

Star huffs, “ _Y/N—I’m not trying to tell you what to do, believe me. I just want you to be careful. Santa Carla is ... it’s not a good place. A lot of bad crap goes on. Don’t ever go anywhere by yourself, always stay in a group, and don’t talk to strangers_.”

You open up a suitcase, picking through your clean—dry—clothes. “Star, you know you can say _shit_ around me, right?”

“ _Don’t let your dad hear you_ ,” she jokes. “ _Okay—look, I’ve got to go, but please, please, please text me. Spam text me. Update me every five minutes. I don’t care if you think you’re annoying me, you’re not. Okay?_ ”

“Do you wanna know what I’m doing right now?”

“ _Text me. I gotta go. I love you, sweetie._ ”

She hangs up, leaving you to yourself. You snap a picture of the open suitcase and text her a picture. She sends back a little smiley emoji.

Not five minutes after you hung up with Star, the rain ceased and the clouds broke to reveal a beautiful, purple sky. The sun was setting. It would be dusk soon.

You changed into a fresh, dry set of clothes, discarding your travel ones in the bathroom to dry out. Christopher called everyone together made the announcement that all of you would be going out to eat. Moon and Raine took their time getting ready, so by the time they were finished the sun had completely set and the first set of stars could be seen in the sky.

The boardwalk wasn't far from the house. A ten-minute drive with light traffic. As soon as the rain cleared up, everyone was back on the streets. It was a bizarre sight, considering it had been a ghost town when you first drove in. You ate at a kitsch pizza place, _Fratelli's_ , that sat on the edge of the boardwalk, overlooking the ocean. You and dad split a pizza (your go-to favorite) while Christopher and the girls each ordered their own. By the time you had finished, everyone was stuffed and happy, and the amusement park was running again.

It was a mess of neon lights and jovial, mindless music. The screams from the rollercoaster echoed the length of the boardwalk. The five of you strolled aimlessly, commenting on anything and everything. But Dad was ... off. You couldn't describe it. He checked out of the conversation completely, his mind a million miles away. It scared you. He had this ... blank look in his eye.

He came to an abrupt halt in front of the carousel.

Tentatively, you touch his arm. "Dad?"

"Hm?" Not once did he look away.

"Are you okay?" You slipped your hand into his. It was cold. He trembled, face pale. You’d never seen him look so ... so vulnerable.

Frowning, he said, " _Deja_ _vu_."

You glanced at Christopher, who was equally as concerned. “Moon, why don’t you take Y/N and your sister around.”

“Sure.”

The last thing you wanted was to leave him alone like this, but Christopher's voice had an edge of finality to it. You didn't like it, but you accepted it. Moon leads the way, not waiting for you and Raine to catch up. You gave his arm a brief squeeze, then jogged after the girls. They weren't interested in any carny rides, and instead, lead you towards various shops and boutiques. Both girls were more interested in shopping than if you were enjoying yourself. Whenever you expressed your interest in a different shop, Moon would just smile and nod, but they never went it. Finally, you decided you'd had enough and walked off on your own.

“Y/N, where are you going?”

You point towards the metaphysical shop. “I want to check this out.”

You didn't mean for them to follow you, but they did, muttering under their breath the entire time. Bells chimed overhead as you walked in. The air smelled of dragons blood incense. There was a middle-aged woman stationed behind the counter and a few boys around your age goofing off in the back.

You were drawn in by the multicolored crystals, big and small, smooth and rough. You took your time, looking over each one, before idling by a display that caught your interest. It was filled with pocket crystals and had a huge, sprouting jewelry tree in the center of it. You ran your hand through the different necklaces, admiring how they reflected the light. You snapped a picture of one of them and sent it to Star.

“Are you really into all this satanic shit?” asked Moon, turning over a pentagram pendant. “That’s like, evil, isn’t it?”

“Actually it’s not satanic, and it’s not evil.” She made a face, as if to say _oh, really?_ You nod to the pendant. “It’s a Wiccan symbol of protection. The media bastardized it a long time ago. They take anything non-Christian and call it satanic.”

Raine rolled her eyes. “Great history lesson! I’m gonna wait out there, this place is weird. Moon?”

Moon looked between the two of you but ultimately sided with her sister. You weren’t upset, in fact, you were kinda glad they were gone. They didn't need to follow you in the first place, that was their choice. Besides, there was a boutique across the way. They could entertain themselves that way. You took your time looking around and took a couple more pictures for Star.

The group of boys, who'd been hanging out in the back, came swaggering towards the door. You glanced up briefly and step out of their way, allowing them to pass. "Sorry."

You wait for them to pass, but they don’t. They linger, a bit too close for your liking given the cramped aisle. The curvy bleach-blond juts his chin towards you. “Are you really into all this?"

“Sort of." You put the hunk of quartz you’d been carrying back on the shelf. "I have an aunt who likes it.”

The guy hummed in acknowledgment. “Those girls, they your friends?”

“Not really.”

“No?”

“No.”

He’s tilts his head, and the simple movement is enough to cue you in that he’s not going anywhere. You sigh and face him head on. You wouldn’t deny it; he was cute. His hair was bleached blond, so pale it appeared white. He wore a dark, vintage over coat and all black underneath. Earrings dotted his ear.

His friends weren’t bad, either, each clad similar grunge-punk clothes. Similar, but different. The one thing that set you on edge was the staring. They wore their amusement plainly, not bothering to hide the way the smiled. It was almost ... predatory. 

The bleach-blond raises his eyebrows. “So who are they?”

“Um, sisters.”

“ _You’re_ sisters?” he tuts. “You don’t look anything alike.”

“Step-sisters.” Though, you’re not sure why he cares. You check over your shoulder and find Moon and Raine waiting impatiently. “I gotta go.”

“I’m David,” he says, completely ignoring your attempt to leave. “These are my brothers: Marko, Dwayne, and Paul.”

“ _You’re_ brothers?” You throw his words back at him. “But you don’t look anything alike.”

David chuckles. He steps forward, boots thumping heavily on the wood. “What’s your name?”

“Y/N.”

“Well, Y/N, we’re going to go to the docks. Have a couple of laughs, get a bite to eat.” He gives you a curious smile, almost like he’s challenging you. “Wanna come with? We might prove to be better company than your, uh, _sisters_.”

You study his face. The boys behind him and snickering about something. The tall blond shoves the little one. “Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t feel like ending up on a Cold Case Files episode.”

“What? You don’t trust us?”

“Don’t know you. Hence stranger danger.”

The tall, wiggly blond (Paul?) speaks up, “We’re not that strange, baby.”

You glance back at the girls, then back to them. The idea was tempting, you wouldn’t deny that. It would no doubt be more fun then being dragged along by Moon and Raine. But you couldn’t. “My dad would flip.”

“I’m sure daddy wouldn’t mind you taking off for the night. You’re grown.”

“No, but my other daddy might.”

David frowns. “Is that like a kink thing?”

“More like a gay thing.” You gesture vaguely to the girls. “Dad’s fiance, he’s pretty strict about deadlines.”

He purses his lips. For a moment, you don’t think he’s going to let you go, but then he steps back, clearing the way towards the door. “Some other time, then?”

“We’re going out tonight,” says Moon.

You pop your earbud out, “Huh?”

“You, me, and Raine; we’re going out tonight. There’s this awesome club out in Watsonville—totally boss, you’ll love it.”

Twirling the cord between your fingers, you ask, “Where’s Watsonville?”

“Like thirty minutes out or something, don’t worry about it.” Moon drummed her fingers against the wall, grinning from ear to ear. “We are going to get you laid.”

If you weren’t uncomfortable before, you sure as hell are now. “Oh, no—that’s okay—”

“No, don’t worry about it, they’re really cool about people underage there.” She gestures to the unkempt suitcase in the corner. “Just put on whatever you have best. ‘Kay?”

“No, Moon, really—“

She’s gone before you can finish protesting. God, she could be annoying at times. This wasn’t the first time she’d forced you to come along with her and Raine. It was always uncomfortable. Raine tried her best not to speak more than two sentences to you a day and snubbed you altogether when the three of you were out. Moon did her best to make up for the tension, but she tended to side with her sister more than she did with you. Not that you cared, but it would be nice if she just gave up on the whole ‘family bonding’ thing.

Reluctantly, you peel yourself out of bed and trudge down the stairs. You’re not one to snitch, not unless it was something really, really bad. The idea of going out with the two of them—to a club, no less—is unappealing. From what you’ve gathered in your week and a half of living with them, Christopher is a strict guy. He doesn’t like it when you laze about the house, which causes slight tension between the two of you. Dad tries to mediate the best he can because he is, after all, your father, and Christopher isn’t.

All this is to say that you don’t think Christopher would be keen on having his girls go clubbing. And if that’s how you get out of this, then that’s how you get out. Besides, you tell yourself, it’s not snitching. You tell Dad everything—the two of you are just like that. There’s no way you’ll just ... go off without telling him.

Fortunately, you find Dad. Unfortunately, Christopher is nowhere in sight. Well, it’s better than nothing.

You hang back a moment, studying him. Ever since that first night, he’s been acting strange. He spaces out more often than not, and he hasn’t been sleeping well if the bags under his eyes tell you anything. You’re not sure what the deal is, but you don’t think he knows either. He’s never kept stuff from you before and you doubt he’d start now.

You make a little noise, signaling your coming in. “Dad?”

He practically jumps, eyes as wide as saucers. He calms down when he sees it’s you. “Oh, Y/N, you scared me. What’s wrong?”

“The girls—they’re going out tonight.”

“To the club, yeah. Moon talked to me and Chris about it yesterday.”

You hesitate. “She did? And...?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to keep you from going. I think it’s a good idea for the three of you to bond. It’s nice to see you hanging around kids your age instead of staying in with me all the time. It makes me happy.”

You know he didn’t mean it that way, but his words sting. “But, it’s a _club_.”

“I trust you, kid.” He ruffles your hair. “You’ve always been careful, and you’re an adult now. You can make your own choices, you don’t have to ask for my permission. All I ask is that you don’t get separated from Moon and Raine.”

_Well shit._

Grimacing, you say, “Thanks, Dad.”

You don’t dress up. You make sure your outfit screams _I don’t want to be here_. It was the most rebellious you allowed yourself to be. You know that you could’ve said no to the girls—hell, Dad told you upfront that you don’t need him to make decisions. So, yeah, you could’ve not gone; but, Dad looked so happy talking about you being with them. Maybe you were the one who was awkward and they were doing their best to get to know you? So, you made an effort. A very, _very_ minimal effort.

Moon was surprised at your chosen outfit but didn’t say anything. Raine scoffs and rolls her eyes. You’re still not sure what her deal is but you hadn’t worked up the courage to ask.

The drive up to the club was awkward, as always. Moon tried to fill the dead air with her early-2000s playlist. Half an hour later, you arrived at the club, called MOTIV, which was in a converted warehouse. It was _packed_. There was a long line stationed outside the club of people in a wide variety of dress, ranging from punk to glam-pop. You might not be as out of place as you originally aimed for.

Despite the line, it doesn’t take you long to get to the front. The bouncer looks at the three of you and asks, “I.D.?”

Moon and Raine dig around in their purses, but you already had yours out and ready. He looks it over, then motions for your hand. He takes a glow-in-the-dark marker and draws an X on the back of your hand.

“Go in.”

The atmosphere is chaotic. The dance floor is packed with dancing, jumping bodies. There’s a DJ on the platform in front of the crowd. Moon and Raine take you straight for the bar and order a round of shots. As it turned out, the bartender didn’t care if you had the literal neon sign that you were underaged. So long as you had cash, they’d serve you anything. 

“ _Oh_ , my God!”

“Oh, my _God_!” The two girls all but throw down their drinks. Moon turns to you, “This is our song. We’re going to go dance.”

“Wait—!”

But they’re already gone. You can’t even see them anymore. They’re swallowed up by the crowd, and the strobe lights don’t make it any easier. The dance floor undulates as one mass, and there are too many people with the same hair as them. You sit back, dejected, and nurse your drink. They’ll come back eventually, you assure yourself.

But three songs go by and they don’t return. Then, it’s six songs. Then it's fifteen. You’re starting to feel worried. You pull out your phone and attempt to call Moon, but the call goes straight to voicemail. You blow both their phones up with texts. One hour turns into two, and two into two and a half. Something about the whole situation doesn’t sit right with you.

You make your way back up to the bar. You know it's useless before you even attempt but you ask the bartender if she’s seen the two girls you came up with.

“Sorry,” she tells you. “I’ve seen so many people tonight.”

“Right. Thanks.”

You lean against the bar, panic rising. You force yourself to take several deep breaths. They haven’t left you, you assure yourself. They’re just having a good time. They’re your ride, they can’t just leave you.

“You okay?”

You jump and turn to find a familiar bleach-blond. “Oh, um, yeah.”

“Don’t look it.” He leans against the bar, frowning. “Are you here by yourself?”

“Uh, no. I’m here with my sisters. Those two girls I was with the other day, have you seen them?”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” You drum your phone against your hand, then check the charge. You’re down to thirty percent. You could always call them again.

“Did they leave you alone?”

You shrug, “Not intentionally? I think? I just haven’t heard from them in a while and—oh, that’s one of them right now. Excuse me.” You walk off towards the bathrooms and accept the call. “Moon, thank God. I was getting really worried. Where are you guys?”

“ _The Piedmont._ ”

You shift. “Um, okay? Where’s that?”

“ _On the boardwalk._ ”

“Hang—hang on a moment.” You step through the emergency exit to the outside where it’s quieter. “Say that again, I don’t think I heard you.”

“ _The boardwalk._ ”

“You’re at the boardwalk?” You laugh nervously. “Is this your way of saying ‘oops, we forgot you’?”

“ _No_ ,”

“No?” That initial panic is coming back at you full force. “Moon, what the hell? Tell me you’re joking.”

“ _I’m not joking._ ”

“Come back and get me.”

“ _Sorry_ , _I_ _can’t_.”

“Why the hell not?!”

“ _Because we’re not allowed to go clubbing outside of city limits. It’s a safety precaution. You understand, don’t you? There are a lot of creeps out there who would take advantage of poor, clueless girls like us._ ”

“Moon.” You try hard to keep the fear and anger from your voice but it doesn’t work. “You brought me here.”

“ _No, I didn’t. Raine saw you leave with some guy, like, twenty minutes ago. You totally ditched us. We tried to stop you, but you wouldn’t listen_.”

Tears well up in your eyes. “Why are you doing this?”

Moon’s voice becomes cold, every ounce of playful-ignorance gone. “ _Do you really think I would be accept you and your father? He’s the reason my mom killed herself.”_

Your body breaks out in a cold sweat. Nausea bubbles in your stomach, you can taste bile on your tongue. “I...”

“ _You what? What, Y/N? You’re sorry? You didn’t know? Like that’s going to change jack shit. My mom is dead, your dad killed her. When she found out about him and my dad, do you know what she did? She slit her fuckin wrists. Yeah.”_

“Moon—”

“ _No. Conversation’s over_.” She hangs up the phone before you can say anything else.

You try to call her again but she doesn’t pick up. “Shit.” You call again, but the same results. Before you can try to call your dad, your phone battery dies.

Dread fills your veins. You cover your mouth, stifling a sob, and collapse against the wall. You sink down, hugging your knees to your chest. Everything has piled all together in one big shit pile. You’re stranded thirty minutes outside the city, afraid, no money. The exit door swings open and you leap to your feet, wiping your eyes. You weren’t going to be that person at the club.

“Oh, shit.” It’s the dark-haired boy, the one that had been with David the other day at the shop. “Er, sorry.”

“‘S fine.” You furiously wipe your eyes, but no matter how many times you do it, the tears keep coming.

The guy frowns. “Are you okay?” You laugh but dissolve into a fit of sobs. “Woah, okay. Um, take some deep breaths. Please don’t pass out on me.”

You struggle to do as he says, hiccuping sobs making it hard to do much breathing.

The door opens again. “Dwayne, you done pissing, Marko’s about to do like— _Oh_. What happened?”

“I have no idea.”

The new guy crouched to your level, putting a hand on your shoulder. “You okay, kid? What happened?” You attempt to tell him but your words jumbled together. “Yeah, I can’t understand shit. Should we get David?”

“No!” The idea of someone else finding you like this was too humiliating.

“Okay.” The blond rocks on his heels. “Can you take some deep breaths? I’ve got some, uh, some stuff if you need to ‘mellow’.”

“No ... no thank you.” You might’ve been distraught but you knew better than to accept drugs from strange men.

“Cool, cool. What’s your name?” He touched his hand to his chest. “I’m Paul, this is Dwayne.”

“Y-Y/N Thompson.”

“Yeah ... Yeah, you look familiar. Didn’t we meet you the other day at that new-age place?” You nod. “Small world. What are you doing all the way out here?”

“M-My ... My sisters they, um, they ...” You swallow hard, a lump forming in your throat. “They left me. On purpose. And my phone is dead so I can’t ... I can’t call a fucking Uber or my dad. ... oh, my God, my dad ...”

Paul makes a noise, “I think I can help you with one of those problems.” He whips out an older model iPhone, smashed to hell but somehow in working condition. “What’s his number?”

You stutter most of it, but Paul seems to get it down. The phone rings and then you hear your dad’s voice and you sob in relief. Paul panics—he obviously hadn’t been expecting to be the one to talk.

“Hello, is this Mr. Thompson? Yeah, I’m here with Y/N and ... well, from what I can understand ...” he pauses, looking to you, “What are your sister’s names?” You tell him. “Uh, Moon and Raine left and Y/N’s really freaked out. Like, full-blown panic attack. Is there a way you can come here and ... Sorry? Oh, sure.” He passes the phone to you. “He wants to take to you.”

You snatch up the phone. “Daddy?”

“ _Y/N, what’s wrong? Who was that just now? We got a text from Raine a while ago saying you ran off with some guy.”_

“No, no that’s not true. They drove me out to this club ... I don’t remember the name, but it’s outside of Santa Carla, and then they left. I tried to call them but ...”

From the other line, you hear Christopher speak, “ _Is that Y/N?_ ”

“Yeah.”

“ _Can I...?_ ” There’s some shifting on the other line. “ _Y/N? Is that you?_ ”

“Yeah—yes, it’s me. Look, Moon and Raine ditched me, do you think you and dad can come to pick me up?”

Christopher sighed. “ _Y/N ... Your dad has told me lots about you, I know you’re a good kid, but I also know you’ve lived with a lot of freedom up until this point. Now, I trust my girls. They’re ... quite sheltered, I’ll admit. We’ve always had an open relationship, one built on mutual trust. I know that they’d never lie to me_.”

“Chris-Christopher, you can’t be serious.”

“ _I get it—you’re young. I was young, too. But you got yourself into this mess now you’re going to have to get yourself out. Actions have consequences._ ”

“I’m not lying.”

“ _My daughters wouldn’t do something like this._ ”

You clench your jaw, silent tears streaming down your face. “Put my dad back on the phone.”

“ _I’ve already talked it over with him_.”

“Put him on the phone, now.”

Christopher sighs. “ _The security guard leaves at twelve a.m. sharp. We expect you home by then—at the latest. After that, the gate will be locked. Even if you manage to get inside, the front door will be locked and you won’t open again until tomorrow morning at nine_.”

The phone line beeps, signaling the disconnect.

This isn’t happening. Your hand trembles, pulling it away from your ear. This isn’t happening, your dad wouldn’t just leave you like this. He wouldn’t take someone else’s side over yours.

You think you pass the phone back to Paul, but you’re not sure. It’s like you’re having an out of body experience. Your floating above the whole mess. None of its real—none of its affecting you.

“Y/N, are you—” You double over and hurl. Both boys leap back, quick to escape the spray. “ _Shit_!”

You stay like that for several moments, breathing heavy, clutching the railing like a vice. When the nausea finally passed, you wiped your mouth with your shirt sleeve and turned to the boys.

“Does anyone know what time it is?”

“Eleven fifty-five,” said Dwayne.

You burst out laughing. Of course, it was eleven fifty-five! Of course, Christopher would give you such an unrealistic deadline! Your laughter dissolves into sobs and you kick the wall _hard_. Pain is instantaneous, spreading from your toes to your shin, but you don’t care. You’d rather feel pain than the overwhelming guilt and anxiety threatening to drown you.

You flash the boys a watery smile and stalk off towards the road.

“Where are you going?” calls Paul.

You turn, walking backward. “I have no fucking clue!”

Suddenly, you collide with someone and nearly fall over, had it not been for their quick reflexes. It’s the little dude ( _Marko?_ ) from the store. You can barely see his silhouette through the tears in your eyes. 

“Woah there, you okay?”

“I’m swell.” Paul and Dwayne jog towards the two of you as Marko helps you stand. “If you fellas will excuse me, I’m gonna go.”

“Do you have a car?”

“Nope,” you say popping the ‘p’. Your not sure if it’s the crippling fear or the small amount of alcohol left if your system, but your tongue lets loose. “Keep an eye out for my face on the missing person fliers. If the police question you, tell them, uh, tell them my family did it. Yep.”

“We’re not letting you go.” You look up, and there’s David, walking towards you with a cigarette between his lips. “You’re coming with us.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder that I'm more active on Tumblr! I post a lot more content on there as well as fun things to do with these stories.

You never knew Chinese food could taste so good. Maybe it was the hangover that made it taste so good. While you hadn't been flat out drunk, you'd had enough in your system. You all but shoveled the carton of lo mein noodles in your mouth, barely able to savor the taste before swallowing.The adrenaline was starting to die down. Your nerves were shot, leaving you shaky and exhausted, but the food did you good. You hadn't eaten much before you left the house.

Marko went to this great twenty-four-hour take-out place and bought one of everything. The five of you rode to the beach, the box of take-out strapped precariously to the back of Dwayne's bike, to have a midnight picnic. You rode with David. It was your first time on a motorcycle. Ever. David did you no favors, purposefully hitting every bump in the road and driving a little too fast. He found your fear amusing.

By the time the five of you reached the beach, you were shaky and ill. David had to peel you off the back of his bike, and the boys had no shame in mocking your terror. However, all was forgiven when they passed out the food. You sat in a semi-circle, cross-legged and babbling about nothing and everything.

“Maybe my aunt was right,” you remark aloud. “She’s always hated this place. She tried to convince us not to move here but Dad was dead set on it. It was supposed to be our fresh start and, I mean, who am I to deny him that? The man basically gave up his entire life for me. Never dated--until now. Never did anything for himself.”

“Sounds like an upstanding citizen,” said David. The boys laugh.

“I dunno. He’s never been, like, a real adult. My aunt did most of the parenting, and she was rarely around.” You laugh, remembering something. “He wanted to name me Wiseana after her.”

“ _Wiseana_?”

“Yeah, like, _Wish_ - _On_ - _A_ , but my mom didn’t like that idea too much. And Star she ... vehemently opposed it.” You wrinkle your nose, recalling the story she’d told you so many times. “I think my Dad had a thing for off-the-wall names. He has one, himself. It’s kinda funny, he wanted to give me a similar name. ‘Laddie’, after him, if I was a boy, or ‘Lady’ if I was a girl.”David picked at his carton, eyeing you curiously.

“Laddie ... that's an interesting name.”

You shrug, picking at your almost-empty carton of noodles. “Yeah, I guess. His parents were ex-hippies.”

“How’d you wind up with _Y/N_?” asked Paul.

“My aunt, again. She heard it somewhere and ... well, my mom died giving birth to me. She and dad never settled on a name, so ... Y/N it is.”

Dwayne shifted, laying his container down in the sand. “You said your dad, Laddie Thompson, he used to live here?”

“Back in the 80s. He was a kid then, but he doesn’t remember a lot of it. Something, uh, bad happened back then and I guess trauma blocked those memories.” You shrug, sitting your box to the side. “My aunt really didn’t want us to come back. I know I should probably call her when I get back, but ... I don’t know. I don’t want to cause any more issues between them.”

The boys fell silent, but you don't notice. The howling wind and crashing waves fill the quiet. You don’t notice the looks they exchange, you’re too focused on the roaring ocean. The moon shines brightly in the sky, illuminating the beach with an ethereal glow. You lean back on your elbows and stare at the sky. It's hard to see the stars, much too bright. It was like that back in Ohio, too, but here they're even harder to see. 

David breaks the silence. “You don’t have to go back, you know.”

You push yourself upright, wiping the sand off your hands. “What do you mean?”“

We’ve got a place you can crash for a few days. Maybe give dear-ol’ dads a reason to be pissed.”

You lick your lips, eyeing the four of them. “I ... I dunno about that.”

“No?”Marko nudges you with his shoulder, grinning, “We’ve got a pretty cool place. At least check it out for the night.”

Despite your reluctance, it’s not like you had much of a choice. If you didn’t go with them, you’d be stranded out here for another ten hours. Exposed to the elements. Out in the open where anything could happen. Santa Carla wasn't exactly the safest place to be alone. These boys seemed nice. What was the worst that could happen? Well, you could think of a few things, but you gave them the benefit of the doubt. They rescued you from the club and bought you food. They hadn’t done anything untoward yet. Plus, a punk had never done you wrong. Maybe they’d give you a ride in the morning.

“Yeah, okay." You smile softly at them. "Thanks.”

“You guys actually _live_ here?”

Paul held your hand as he leads you through the dark, rocky cave entrance. The two of you slowed when the entrance dropped off. He hopped down, then held a hand out and had you do the same. Dwayne, who'd lit a torch outside to light the way, began lighting the dumpsters to illuminate the room. It was, well, more than you expected. _Way_ more. 

It was like some kind of abandoned, underground club. Age weathered the walls and floor away, leaving only the rocky cliffside. There was a broken fountain in the center of the room filled with old treasures. Sitting atop it all was a busted chandelier with seashells dangling off the sides. Graffiti covered the cave from floor to ceiling. They'd made a sitting area just beyond the fountain, fit with a couple of old couches and armchairs. Vintage knick-knacks lined the walls; surfboards, posters, guitars, a broken pianoforte, and more pool floaties than you could count.

You stood, jaw open. It reminded you of that scene from _Alice in Wonderland_ when Alice was falling down the rabbit hole. This place was so bizarre, so fantastical, you couldn't believe your eyes.

“This is insane!”

You walk the length of the fountain, admiring everything. What was even more amazing than the fact that the boys lived here, was that no one had bought the place yet. It looked like it should’ve been condemned a long time ago, but you were surprised by the fact no one had seized the opportunity to make a real money-grabber out of the place, turning it into a haunted house or a new, funky hotel.

“This was the hottest resort in Santa Carla back about eighty years ago.” David came to your side, smirking at you. “Too bad they built it right on top of the San Andreas fault. In 1906, when the big one hit San Francisco, the ground opened up and this place took a header into the crack. So now it's ours."

“That’s ... _amazing_.” You wander away from David, carefully stepping over fallen rocks and belongings left strewn about. You find yourself in front of another entrance in the cave, blocked by rusted pieces of rebar. A gentle breeze whistles through the hole. “How deep does it go?”

“Deep.”

You yelp, jumping nearly a foot in the air. Marko is right behind you, near your ear. You hadn’t heard him approach.Biting his nail, he grins. 

“We can take you exploring if you want.”

There's a kind of edge to his tone, something almost seductive. Your turn your head, heat crawling up your neck. Surely, you were imagining it. Marko's just being friendly ... very friendly. The offer is tempting, though. How many people could say they explored sunken hotel?

“That’s not the best idea,” said David. “You’ve gotta be pretty tired, Y/N, and you're not wearing the right shoe kind of shoes for it. Wouldn’t want you to break your neck.”

Valid point. 

Waking up in an unfamiliar place is always weird. You've never freaked out about it before, mostly because you had enough memories of the day prior; but, you were sufficiently spooked when you woke up in a cave.

It took you a good minute to process where you were and what happened. The club. Moon's betrayal. Christopher's ultimatum. Being stranded, until those four punks from the new age store took pity on you and took you back to their place. A sunken hotel.

You'd passed out on an old, dusty mattress after hours of partying. You tried not to think of all the creepy crawlies that lived in there. The night passed in a blur of laughs and drinking. At some point, Paul brought out some weed but you respectfully declined. Even if the boys were nice you weren't about to put yourself in a position of vulnerability.

You laid on your back, peering up into the gaps in the cave's ceiling. The light was dim, taking on a warm, golden hue. Early morning, maybe? You crawl out of bed and through the entrance you came through the night before. You dust your clothes off from dust and swing your legs around the bed, rubbing away the last cobwebs of sleep. You scale the entrance and wander out of the cave. The ocean air wafts through the crude hall, leading you to the mouth of the cave.

You hop out onto the rocky strip of land, waves washing up, lapping at your ankles. That’s when you realize it’s not sunrise, but sunset.

“Oh, shit.”

If you weren’t in for it before, you were now. You stormed back into the cave, a string of _shit, shit, shit, shit’_ s falling from your lips. You collapsed onto the mattress, burying your face in your hands. _God_ , you were screwed. What horrible thing would happen, now? Christopher changing the locks? The girls throwing your stuff into a fire pit? Or, worst of all, they kicked you out.

The boys came in several minutes later, but you had yet to move from your spot. Paul flopped down on your bed, jostling you. “What’s up? Why the long face?”

“I’m dead,” you groaned.

“Uh, I dunno,” Paul pinched your arm playfully, “You look pretty alive to me.”

You peek at him through your fingers. Did he genuinely not know, or was he playing coy? You weren’t in the mood for games. “It’s sunset.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s sunset and I’m still here.” Paul continued to stare at you, not getting the point. God, he was pretty but he was a real idiot. You spell it out for him. “I was supposed to be home this morning by nine. And I’m still here. Christopher is already pissed at me—now, I’m just fanning the flame.”

“Screw him.” The two of you look up to find David, lounging on his wheelchair. He didn’t look up, too busy lighting the cigarette between his lips. “He’s a piece of shit.”

“Yeah, he is, but he’s still ...” _Your dad?_ No, not quite. _In charge?_ That sounded better, but not good enough to say out loud.

“You don’t have to listen to him,” David points out. “He’s not your father. Just stay here with us, make the asshole sweat.” He crossed one leg over the other. mirth glittering in his eyes. “It would be his fault if something bad happened to you.”

You doubted Christopher would feel guilty, outwardly at least, but he did have a point.

“But, my dad,” you realized. “God, he’s probably freaking out.”

The two of you had never really fought before. Sure, you had the occasional spats but that was it. Nothing like this. You wouldn’t put it past him to take out a missing persons.

But ... did you really want to face him right now? He was part of the reason you were in this situation in the first place. He could’ve fought to speak to you or challenged Christopher’s decisions, but he didn’t.

Maybe making them sweat wouldn’t hurt.

“You’ve got a choice here, Y/N. Go home and deal with your step-dad and sisters. Or stay out with us.”

You pondered the idea. You already knew what waited for you if you went home. Christopher would get up on his high horse, Moon and Raine would pretend nothing happened. And Dad ...

No, you made up your mind. “Maybe another night wouldn’t hurt.”

Laddie couldn’t pull himself away from the window. He hadn’t moved since last night, in the vain hope you would get home in time. Even if you hadn’t, well ... Laddie wasn’t sure what he’d do. Chris made his position clear on the matter, sensing Laddie’s weak resolve. It didn’t matter if you were sobbing, don’t let you in. It was supposed to teach you discipline. You can’t sneak off like that—period.

But you hadn’t come back last night, nor did you show up this morning. Pretty soon, it was thirty past nine and he knew something was wrong. It was one of his parental instincts flipping on and going haywire. He _knew_ you weren’t coming and that scared him. You could be dead in a ditch—or worse.

If you were in trouble, you would’ve called him, right? If you’d really been scared you would’ve called him back. So, you had to be safe. That was the only thing that kept his panic at bay; but, then he started thinking differently. What if you couldn’t call him back? What if you’d been kidnapped and they took your phone? What if you were ...

Laddie winced. No, you were fine. He could feel it. He’d know if you were dead. You just ... weren’t home.

“Shit.”

Laddie rubbed his eyes. He already called the police but they couldn’t do anything until forty-eight hours had passed, and they were barely scraping twenty-three.

He pulled out his phone. God, he hated to do this, but maybe she’d heard from you. Laddie opened contacts and pressed her number. It rang four times before she finally picked up.

“ _Lads_?”

“Star, something’s happened.”

“How’d you _do_ that?!”

The booth worker turns away, grabbing a long pole with a hook on the end to grab your prize. You nudged Dwayne, beaming at him. He was amazing, knocking down the three sets of milk bottles—even the ones on the bottom. You'd never seen anyone best this game before, but he did.

“That’s, like, impossible.” You nudge him again, "What are you, some kind of Superman?"

Dwayne shared your grin. “Nah. It just takes practice.”

The booth worker lowers the ginormous teddy bear from where it hung. You accept the mountain of fluff gratefully and thank the man before the two of you walk off. The boardwalk is lively tonight, neon lights swirling all around you—from we're open signs to the colorful lights on rides—in a dizzying pattern.

The others haven't moved an inch since you and Dwayne went off on your own. They occupy a small section of railing. Paul and Marko goof off, shoving each other around or making snide comments at people passing. David leans against the rail with his back to everyone, a new cigarette trapped between his lips. Paul’s the first to (outwardly) acknowledge your approach. He bounces up to you, slinging his arm over your shoulder and giving the bear’s nose a pinch.

“Where’d you swipe this guy?”

Jerking his head in the direction you just came from, Dwayne said, “The milk bottles.”

“Weird they still have that. It’s ancient,” remarks Marko. “Considering most things are digital.”

Dwayne shrugs. “It’s nostalgia."

David tosses his cigarette, stomping on the stub. “C’mon.”

The five of you walk to wherever David wants to. The whole time, people give you a wide berth. It’s strange, but at the same time, it makes you feel powerful. The rush goes straight to your head and you walk a little taller. What would Christopher say if he saw you with them? They’d probably intimidate the hell out of him.

That thought makes you smile. David comes to a halt when you reach the area just above the outdoor concert. You rest against the railing, watching the band. They were pretty good—a cover band playing mostly 80s rock. In fact, you were so into it, you barely heard David telling you that they were going to step away for a moment.

You only fully realized you were alone when you looked up to tell Paul something, but he was nowhere to be found. They were ... gone. Panic seized you. Your first thought was, of course, that they couldn’t have gotten far. They were your ride after all; but, you remembered how you thought the same thing about Moon and Raine, two girls who you’d been living with for a week. You’d only known these boys for a night.

Just stay put, you thought to yourself. They’ll come back.

You didn’t believe it for a second.

You stayed there, on the railing, for a good half an hour. The concert finished up and the crowd below dispersed. The boardwalk would be closing within the hour. On the bright side, you thought, I’m not as far from home as I was before; however, that also came with its own downside.

You were pretty sure it was eleven-ish, and if what Christopher said was true, then the security guard for the community would be gone soon. While that wasn’t an issue if you were on foot, you doubted you’d be able to get inside the house. Maybe you could camp out on the front porch until morning ...

Someone leaned against the railing next to you. You glanced up briefly, finding them looking directly at you. “Hi.”

You manage a smile. “Hi.”

“I’m Jamie.” They drummed their fingers against the rail, grinning.

“Y/N.”

They repeated your name, smiling. They were cute, curly blond hair and hazel eyes. Taller than you by a couple of inches, maybe more. It was difficult to tell with how they were slouching.

“What’re you doing out here alone?”

“I...” Your voice caught in your throat. “I’m not alone. I’m just waiting on some friends.”

“I saw you here earlier,” said Jamie. “You were by yourself. Just wanted to check on you.”

You nod, looking the other way. It was rather sweet of them, you supposed. You’d never been approached before so you didn’t know how to handle the situation. Back home, you were the definition of a loner. You rarely—if ever—went out, preferring to spend time with Dad as often as you could. This, right here, was uncharted territory.

“So...” Jamie flicked a piece of hair out of their eyes. “I’ll see you around. Unless ...”

“Unless?”

“Well, the boardwalk closes soon, but there are a lot of unsavory characters out. Do you want someone to wait with you?”

Wryly, you smile, “How do I know you’re not one of those unsavory characters?”

“Do I look unsavory to you? I’m, like, the definition of savory.” Jamie chuckles, shaking their head. “Nah, I’m not gonna make you uncomfy or anything like that. Figured I’d check, just in case.”

“No, I appreciate it.”

A security guard strolls past, eyeing the two of you. Overhead, the speakers announce: “The boardwalk will be closing in ten minutes.”

You bite your lower lip. They’re still not back. Jamie notices your worry.

“Do you wanna walk down to the parking lot. Maybe they’re waiting for you.”

You agree, but the nagging feeling that they’ve abandoned you doesn’t go away. The two of you walk down to the parking lot, following the swarm of people making their way. It’s heavy foot traffic and the two of you bob and weave your way through to where the boys parked their bikes. To your surprise, they’re still there.

“Maybe they’re down on the beach?” asks Jamie.

And, as if on cue, you hear Marko’s familiar laugh coming from the beach. You find yourself walking towards the sound on instinct. Jamie trails behind you, wordlessly.

You find the boys a little ways away from where the boardwalk drops off onto the beach. They’ve got a bonfire going and appear to be throwing more kindling on to the fire.

Marko’s the one who first notices your approach. He elbows Paul, who shoved him back until he realizes you’re approaching.

“Hey!”

You cross your arms, coming to a halt a few feet away from the fire. Honestly, you’re more relieved than you were angry, but you couldn’t stop the feeling of hurt inside of you.

“Boardwalk’s closing,” you say.

David doesn't seem bothered. “We lost track of time.” His gaze travels over your shoulder. “Who’s your friend.”

“This is Jamie.” You offer no more information out of spite.

Paul and Marko appear at your sides. Paul slings his arm over Jamie’s shoulder and says, “Hey there, welcome to the party.”

“Oh—no. I was just hanging with Y/N until we found you. I don’t want to impose.”

“Chill out, you’re not imposing, we asked you here.” The boys lead you over to the fire and set you on the sand.

The ocean smells particularly ripe tonight. It was enough to make you gag, but you held it together. Dwayne came back from the ocean, his hair and chest wet. He had a silent exchange with David before plopping down on the sand, mimicking your sitting stance.

David remained standing, stalking the length of the fire. His spurs jingle with each step, commanding your attention. He takes a seat on the opposite side of the fire, his figure barely visible through the flames. "What were you taught to stay away from as a kid?"

The suddenness of his question catches you off guard. Jamie blinks, shifting uncomfortably as Paul scoots closer. Laughter ripples through the group, but neither you nor Jamie get the joke.

You shake your head, "I don't understand."

"Don't talk to strangers. Stay away from the light socket." David licks his lips, "Watch out for vampires."

"Vampires?" Jamie laughs. "Nobody's scared of vampires."

David made a face, "No?"

"Nah, man." Jamie shook their head, chuckling softly. “Vampires stopped being scary in, like, the eighties. Popular media screwed them over."

The boys _ooo_ ed, like it was a controversial opinion.

"Is that right?" David cocked his head, meeting your gaze. "What about you, Y/N? Are vampires scary?"

You snort. "No way."

"See!" Jamie leaned over and gave you a high-five. "Vampires are the whipmiest monsters out there. They have souls, now. Morals. They've gone from being these ugly, apex predators to crybabies. All they care about is finding true love and whining over immortality. It's annoying.”

“For real!” You leap into the conversation, fully facing Jamie. "They cry about being 'cursed' to drink human blood. And if a vampire is totally chill about their immortality, or drinking blood, they're 'bad'. It's bullshit. I can't take vampire story seriously anymore."

Jamie nods, smiling lazily. "They're glorified sex gods. Totally overrated. Now, if you want to talk scary, zombies are the way to go. That's the only valid kind of living corpse, in my opinion."

Laughing, you shake your head and turn back to the group. David isn't on the other side of the fire anymore. He's right in front of you, nose inches from your own. But, something's different. His ... his _face_! It's inhuman!

A grin splits his face, revealing a pair of razor-sharp fangs. “Boo.”

Paul leaned over, and before Jamie could scream, he tore their throat out.


End file.
